First off, as many have mentioned, the default controls are quite horrible. Spend a good while in reconfig and running about the opening area learning how to use them.
Once past that, the game gets a lot better and a slow progression becomes quicker. But be warned, if you stray too far into the wild or away from the main story arc, prepare for punishment in combat. Low level creatures are quite a challenge for those brought up on RPGs where you beat rats with a stick.
There is much to the game world that can go unnoticed, such as the crafting system that is more involved than clicking a button that can surprise one once they get to it. So be sure to talk to everyone and find out what interactions you can do.
Gothic is one of those games that people love or ignore due to many clunky features. But to really get into it, you need to spend an hour or four before it just clicks. The series improves as it goes along, but as game #1 it's a decent start.